Opcon delivers. With precision, attention to detail, and exceptional project management, we maintain the highest possible standards and exceed intended results. Specializing in complex construction logistics, our diverse capabilities cover a wide scope including commercial building and hospital renovations, mechanical installations and commissioning, heavy and civil construction, LED lighting retrofits, and historic restorations. Our executives take pride in sharing their knowledge and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Opcon is committed to hiring military veterans and is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

By Contract/Services

In addition to serving as General Contractor, Opcon construction related services are extensive in scope and industry, with significant work within education, government, state, healthcare, residential, retail, and transportation sectors.

By Project

Opcon successfully manages the inherent complexities within each project by anticipating issues, finding resolutions early, and leading a collaborative team of owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and other disciplines. Minimizing schedule disruption and delivering on time and on budget is the result of our proactive approach and policy of clear communication. Our areas of expertise cover a wide range including:

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Systems Retrofits and Replacements

Facilities Management Services

Environmental Protection and Remediation

Energy Savings Programs, Commissioning and Green Building Initiatives

Life Safety, Security and Communications Systems

The Opcon Story

Leadership

Each Opcon senior executive brings insight and leadership developed over more than 25 years in the construction business. All our professionals have completed the OSHA 30 Hour Construction Course, and hold a variety of certifications including, but not limited to, LEED, ASHE-HCC, OSHA Trainer, RRP, PMP, ICRA, CQM, CPE, CPR, ASPE, AIA, and CCIM.

Clay founded Opcon in 2009 after more than 25 years of leadership in both private and public construction. Since then, Clay has trained and led Opcon’s team of professionals in the completion of approximately $40 million of interior and exterior construction projects. The company is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and has established a highly successful track record with federal agencies, primarily in six Midwest states.

Prior to Opcon, Clay was the owner and operator of a residential development and construction company, and he has completed more than $75 million of institutional and commercial construction projects with a large, U.S. general contracting firm. He also served as a Chief with the U.S. Navy Seabees, leading more than 300 utility infrastructure and vertical construction projects in Iraq. Clay recently retired from the Seabees with over 21 years of service.

Mike delivers comprehensive value creation and program management for Opcon with skills honed over a highly diverse career that spans more than 35 years. His leadership has guided the growth of four real estate business ventures that focused on development construction, portfolio management services, strategic consulting and private equity syndication. Mike has directed more than $6 billion of investment opportunities for corporate, private and public sector clients, involving all property types and in multiple markets, including a $2.3 billion public construction program, development of $500 million of luxury condominiums, and design and construction of more than 2 million square feet of commercial tenant space. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, Mike is a licensed architect and real estate broker. He also holds the LEED AP designation.

An ASPE Certified Professional Estimator, Bryan brings to Opcon over 25 years of experience estimating and developing contracts that range from $50,000 to $750 million. His deep knowledge spans multiple sectors including medical, higher education, office, industrial, airports, federal facilities, as well as specific construction trades. Bryan has analyzed and prepared bids for contracts including Design/Build, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity, Lump Sum, and Guaranteed Maximum Price service delivery methodologies. Dedicated to the industry, Bryan trains interns and colleagues in estimating strategies and software, and is a past President, and Membership, Fellowship, and Certification Chairman of the American Society of Professional Estimators. He is an ASPE Charter Member, and currently serves on the Standards Committee. Bryan earned a degree in construction management and estimation from Western Illinois University.

Jason’s diverse industry experience includes field supervision and safety inspections for high quality office tenant build-outs, as well as major mechanical, electrical, and plumbing repair/replacement projects. As a certified OSHA and First Aid/CPR/AED instructor, Jason manages Opcon’s Safety Program, offering first aid training, as well as OSHA training and compliance. He holds a degree in business management from National Louis University and a degree in construction management from Southern Illinois University.

Recognized by Opcon clients for his highly focused organization and management skills, Mike monitors delivery on client objectives from project kick-off through completion. Specializing in estimating and managing multiple job order contracts on an accelerated schedule, Mike has been responsible for construction project management with clients that include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Army, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Transit Authority, and the General Services Administration. Previously, Mike worked for a large, U.S. general contracting firm. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa.

Andrew has been responsible for more than $11 million of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital renovations for Opcon, including interior and exterior projects, and historic landmark restorations. Our clients appreciate his meticulous attention to detail and conscientious representation of their interests. His diverse experience includes construction project management for additional clients such as the General Services Administration, U.S. Air Force, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Public Building Commission. Andrew graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor of science in technical systems management with specialization in alternative energies, construction systems, and project management.

Opcon Clients

Highly regarded as a construction and facilities expert by multiple federal agencies and their design professionals, Opcon has completed over 125 projects for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Federal clients include:

Values

Opcon is committed to delivering outstanding solutions for our clients and to providing professional growth for our staff in a high-quality working environment. Articulated by Clay Graham when he founded Opcon as a Service Disabled Veteran, Opcon values have been the basis for our growth, and continue to be the core beliefs that underscore our attitudes and actions.

Opcon is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (CVE certified), an Illinois Veteran Business Program (IL CMS certified), and a self-certified Asian-Pacific American owned company. We represent a true potpourri of American diversity by gender, ethnicity, and age. We are proud of the fact that one-third of Opcon’s full-time employees are veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Opcon attracts and retains talented professionals who approach each project with the twin goals of service excellence and seamless achievement of client objectives. We create opportunities for professional growth, recruit through intern programs, provide on-going training, and offer comprehensive employee benefits that foster healthy lifestyles and work/life balance. Our executives take pride in sharing their knowledge to mentor our next generation of leaders, most of whom have been a part of Opcon since its early days.

Integrity is Opcon’s guiding principle. It is the underlying value upon which the U.S. military Standards of Conduct are based: honesty, loyalty, accountability, fairness, caring and respect. It is these ethics that inform our thinking and by which we serve our clients.

Enhancing safety and reducing risk on project sites and in the office is a core principle and a daily Opcon priority. Potential risks are identified and corrected through continuous observation and regular monitoring. An OSHA Authorized Construction Trainer is a member of our staff and conducts 10-and 30-hour courses in accordance with Outreach Training Program requirements. Our OSHA Trainer is also a Project Manager and Chairman of our Safety Committee. Mandatory safety training for Opcon employees includes:

OSHA 30-hour Construction Course

Daily log entries and safety meetings on project sites

Weekly Tool Box Tips that are read and signed by every employee

As a result of our commitment to safety, Opcon has achieved an Experience Modifier Rate of .81 (below 1.0 is excellent) and zero Reportable Incidents in our OSHA file.

Committed to protecting and preserving the natural environment, Opcon minimizes the impact of our business operations on the environment and delivers sustainable solutions to our clients. We continuously work to improve our environmental performance and encourage Opcon employees, subcontractors and clients to do the same.

Awards, Certifications, Memberships

Opcon has earned numerous awards and is an active member of multiple professional organizations that provide leadership for the construction industry and the built environment. Our experienced staff of highly trained professionals has earned a variety of industry certifications.

Veterans Administration Hospitals

Project Size and Scope:This $6.5 million, 70,000 square foot project comprised a major, multi-phased renovation of the office and warehouse facilities of a regional 24/7 pharmaceutical distribution center for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Project scope included all labor, materials, supervision, coordination and environmental protection to provide an entirely new floor plan for relocation of existing, in-use pharmacy spaces. This required demolition of existing MEP infrastructure, and installation of completely new plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems. Work included new diesel electric generators, three rooftop HVAC units, new sanitary system pumps and utility connections, new offices, conference rooms, cafeteria, locker and storage facilities. Final interior finishes were installed by Opcon and coordinated with office furniture and cubicles that were supplied and installed by the owner.

This project required that demolition and construction be performed while existing, occupied spaces were in use. The work was divided into multiple phases, each of which required substantial completion before beginning a subsequent phase. The CMOP 24/7 work schedule allowed only limited access and time to assure internal security, protect adjacent areas, and perform construction.

Existing building conditions did not always match architectural drawings due to owner-deferred projects, revised personnel relocation sequencing, or demolition discovery. This resulted in numerous project phasing revisions and scope adjustments.

Disconnecting and bringing online entirely new plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems without a significant disruption of the client’s operations required precise coordination between the utilities and the installing trades. Each of these situations was addressed through daily communication and planning between the client, superintendent and project manager.

Successful Outcomes:Opcon delivered the project within the original schedule (nearly four months ahead of the revised schedule) and approximately four percent below the original budget. This included consideration of 19 owner-generated changes in project scope based on 53 Requests for Information.

Testimonials:

“Clay: I really appreciate the level of professionalism your crew displays on a daily basis. Steve Carlson is an AWESOME superintendent and really knows how to keep a project on schedule, no matter what obstacles are impressed upon him. I get nothing but praise from our personnel about him and the work he is leading his crew to complete. One example that sticks out in my mind is not from our staff, it was from the controls contractor. He said “working with OPCON is a night and day difference than working with other firms; no matter what date I give them for a deadline, IT IS ALWAYS MET, and NO MATTER WHAT I ASK THEM FOR, IT IS ALWAYS READY FOR ME. Well done.” Mike Rosso is an incredible project management asset; the pair of them seems to really gel. I enjoy working with both of them and am positive their success and efficient work in my building is a direct result of their great working relationship. Thank you again. Great job.”

“In eight years of managing construction projects at this agency, I have not worked with a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business that was more prepared than Opcon. Their preparation day-to-day on the job site and during bi-weekly project status meetings is outstanding. I have rated Opcon performance as ‘Superior’ in seven categories, the most important of which is ‘in satisfying the requirements of the customer’.”

Iron Mountain, Michigan Outpatient Clinic Entrance Expansion and Remodeling Project Size and Scope:A $499,995 reconstruction of the main entrance to the Outpatient Clinic featured an expanded patient reception and processing space with indoor wheel-chair storage and accessibility improvements that blended with the design of the existing hospital building. The scope required new foundations, heated driveway paving (connected to an existing hot water heating source), sidewalks that were compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, roof, entry doors, lighting, interior finishes, stainless steel bollards, and precast concrete and masonry to match existing. The project was a Task Order issued under an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Job Order Contract that began in January 2012 with 44 projects awarded to Opcon at a total contract value of $4,704,234.

Opcon’s Role:General Contractor

Primary Challenges: As a 24/7 facility, it was critical that the Veterans Administration Medical Center (VMAC) create an adjacent, temporary entrance before demolishing the existing entry and paving it to prepare for the expanded design. The project required “tenting” so that a heated construction enclosure that would facilitate ongoing work during extreme winter weather, and allowed for proper concrete curing.

Successful Outcomes:Opcon coordinated client occupancy and patient accessibility on a continuing basis to assure the provision of uninterrupted patient service. The work was performed without schedule disruption in an occupied patient environment as a result of close collaboration and responsive problem solving by Opcon’s on-site superintendent. Opcon has been successful at developing close working relationships with numerous local subcontractors and laborers, which proved invaluable in assuring proper quality control, site safety and timely completion of 44 projects at this facility. Based on our successful performance under this contract, Opcon was awarded a new sole source contract in the amount of $650,000 for additional work at Johnson VAMC.

Historic Renovations

Project Size and Scope:Both projects had a contract value of $3.2 million. Scope included replacement of deteriorated slate shingles, copper gutters and downspouts, terne metal and 4-ply roof materials; tuckpointing of weathered masonry to match original color and mortar striking; restoration of original windows, balconies, porches and railings; environmental protection and remediation; and coordination of work within occupied spaces.

Primary Challenges:Key to project success were: reconciling the historic restoration design scope and material selection with the client’s budget constraints; coordinating client relocations and protection of occupied spaces with a labor-intensive restoration process and schedule; managing environmental testing, abatement or remediation within environmental regulations and the restoration standards of the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office.

Successful Outcomes:Opcon utilized its proprietary custom window restoration program developed by Opcon carpenters at a historic structure at Veterans Administration Northern Indiana Health Care. A client relocation strategy was developed that facilitated window removal in small groups. This enabled a specific solution for each window, depending on its condition. Any asbestos-containing glazing putty was removed. Lead paint was encapsulated with primer and two coats of new paint; sashes required partial reconstruction with new components. Glazing was replaced as required. By refinishing jambs and trim in place, and custom fabricating/finishing stops and window components in our shop, Opcon minimized project costs, client disruption, and site contamination risk. SHPO requirements for historic restoration were met.

Opcon advised the client and the architect regarding: cost and availability alternatives for pre-patinated copper gutters and downspouts, asphalt shingle substitutes for slate shingles, and mortar colors and masonry sealants that would be appropriate for this application. Each of our recommended solutions was accepted by the client, the architect and SHPO, achieving an optimal balance for cost, quality and appearance in a historic building.

Testimonial:

“Andrew Thompson and the entire OPCON team were very professional, hardworking and open to working together as a team to resolve conflicts in the documents. I would highly recommend OPCON to anyone looking for a building partner. I was especially impressed with the quality of the restoration work – in particular the wood windows and doors, which I use as a model and consider our standard for excellence on preservation projects.”

Primary Challenges:Avoiding disruption of underground utility services at one of the busiest air traffic control centers in the world was critical. The project required locating, and relocating as required, all telephone, electric, gas and storm sewer lines that would be affected by the parking lot reconstruction. In addition, the significant amount of contaminated soil displacement required an environmentally acceptable disposal strategy.

Successful Outcomes:Opcon utilized hydro excavation techniques to locate marked utility locations (which were not available on as-built drawings), and coordinated surface construction with the various utility crews below grade to provide temporary service connections while relocating lines that conflicted with the new work. This required meticulous safety program procedures for shoring and protection of both construction and FAA personnel who were on-site 24/7. The cost of the required removal of a large volume of contaminated soil and transporting it to a landfill would have caused a substantial additive Change Order to the project. However, Opcon was able to gain approval for disposal on-site by creating landscaped berms around the parking areas that could accommodate all spoils.

In addition to this design/build reconstruction project, Opcon completed a new employee parking lot valued at $1,117,362 at the same FAA facility. For the new parking lot project, Opcon was able to generate another environmentally responsible client savings by grinding existing asphalt pavement, and recycling it as sub-base material for the new concrete paving. The new parking lot was completed 30 days ahead of schedule.

Testimonial:

“Clay Graham is one of the guys who I respect the most in this industry. Clay’s Opcon team is a direct reflection of his integrity and dedication to the highest standards of performance. Opcon’s safety program for the FAA parking projects was in place and enforced from day one. Opcon resolved potentially expensive environmental issues in a cost-effective, sustainable manner, and their communication with the design team was exemplary. I would be very pleased to work with Opcon again on any construction project where safety and environmental issues are as important as the budget and schedule. They cover all the bases.”

Successful Outcomes:Opcon’s highly skilled carpenters were able to provide the high standards of craftsmanship, timeliness and communication that were necessary to meet the challenges of these unique projects. All occupancy dates were achieved without disruption of other tenants and in compliance with Owner objectives for quality and cost.